Health Insurance Tips

With the internet, finding cheap health insurance is easier now than ever. One of the downfalls of the easiness is that some important parts may be overlooked. And overlooking important parts of health insurance is not something you want to do. “Cheap” health insurance may be about more than just the price. Below are a few tips to help you get the right coverage for you and your family.Know Your BudgetWhat can you afford to spend on health care? Consider more than just the cost of coverage. Consider premiums, copays, co-insurance, prescriptions, and what’s not covered. There’s more. You have to think about dental and vision coverage, which aren’t always included right away. If you wear glasses, is it worth it to purchase vision coverage? The bottom line is, if you can’t afford it, you can’t afford it.Assess Your NeedsHealth insurance is a financial commitment, so it’s important to think about what coverage you and your family need. You don’t want to pay for more than you need. At the same time, you want to make sure all your needs are covered. How will you use health insurance? Do you go to the doctor to prevent illness or only when you’re sick? Do you have your teeth cleaned regularly or only see a dentist when you have a toothache? Consider ongoing medical conditions or any upcoming events, like if you want to have children.How long will you need coverage? If you’re in a temporary situation, you may only need short-term coverage. If you just started working for yourself, you may want major medical. Do you need extra protection? You may want to consider supplemental insurance for hospital stays, ER visits, or surgery. Shop AroundLike with anything, it’s important to shop around to find cheap homeowner’s insurance that offers the best coverage. Getting a quote does not commit you to purchasing, so get a few quotes. Find the quotes that fit your budget, then compare the details. Think about premiums, coinsurance, prescription drugs, deductibles, copays, dental, vision, and whatever else you need. Run the numbers and make sure you don’t pay for what you don’t need. Here’s more informationConclusionIt sounds simple, right? Look at what you need, look at what you can spend, and shop around to find what works best. But it’s not quite that simple. We’re talking about your health, here. It’s not a car. If a car is a certain type, a certain age, and has a certain amount of mileage, it’s a pretty close guess as to how long the car will last. Sure, you can’t predict accidents, but you can predict when the engine will give out. Health is less certain. Again, you can’t predict accidents, but it’s also hard to predict illnesses or hospital stays. So knowing what you need can be tricky. That’s why it’s of the utmost importance to know about your family’s history to judge its future.

News

Californians Can Now Pay Cash For Health Insurance At 7-ElevenThe largest publicly run health plan in the nation, L.A. Care, will allow customers who do not have traditional bank accounts to pay their health insurance premiums with cash.One in four Americans who were previously uninsured and eligible for federal insurance subsidies don't have a bank account, relying instead on prepaid debit cards, money orders and cash to pay bills, according to a study by Jackson Hewitt Tax Service.After advocates for low-income consumers raised concerns to the Department of Health and Human Services over how so-called unbanked households would pay their monthly insurance premiums, the Obama administration ordered health plans to accept payment methods that didn't require a credit card or checking account."It's as quick as buying a Slurpee."- Danny Shader, founder and CEO of PayNearMeStarting this week, customers of L.A. Care Covered, one of the health plans for sale on Covered California, the state's insurance marketplace, can pay monthly premiums in cash at more than 680 locations, including 7-Eleven and Family Dollar stores. At the register, customers scan a bar code sent to their smartphone and hand over their cash. The payment posts to L.A. Care within 24 hours, and the service is free to customers.Compliments of: NPR.org

The Insurance Advisor

Insurance advice and news for the 20th century

Health Insurance Tips

With the internet, finding cheap health insurance is easier now than ever. One of the downfalls of the easiness is that some important parts may be overlooked. And overlooking important parts of health insurance is not something you want to do. “Cheap” health insurance may be about more than just the price. Below are a few tips to help you get the right coverage for you and your family.Know Your BudgetWhat can you afford to spend on health care? Consider more than just the cost of coverage. Consider premiums, copays, co-insurance, prescriptions, and what’s not covered. There’s more. You have to think about dental and vision coverage, which aren’t always included right away. If you wear glasses, is it worth it to purchase vision coverage? The bottom line is, if you can’t afford it, you can’t afford it.Assess Your NeedsHealth insurance is a financial commitment, so it’s important to think about what coverage you and your family need. You don’t want to pay for more than you need. At the same time, you want to make sure all your needs are covered. How will you use health insurance? Do you go to the doctor to prevent illness or only when you’re sick? Do you have your teeth cleaned regularly or only see a dentist when you have a toothache? Consider ongoing medical conditions or any upcoming events, like if you want to have children.How long will you need coverage? If you’re in a temporary situation, you may only need short-term coverage. If you just started working for yourself, you may want major medical. Do you need extra protection? You may want to consider supplemental insurance for hospital stays, ER visits, or surgery. Shop AroundLike with anything, it’s important to shop around to find cheap homeowner’s insurance that offers the best coverage. Getting a quote does not commit you to purchasing, so get a few quotes. Find the quotes that fit your budget, then compare the details. Think about premiums, coinsurance, prescription drugs, deductibles, copays, dental, vision, and whatever else you need. Run the numbers and make sure you don’t pay for what you don’t need. Here’s more informationConclusionIt sounds simple, right? Look at what you need, look at what you can spend, and shop around to find what works best. But it’s not quite that simple. We’re talking about your health, here. It’s not a car. If a car is a certain type, a certain age, and has a certain amount of mileage, it’s a pretty close guess as to how long the car will last. Sure, you can’t predict accidents, but you can predict when the engine will give out. Health is less certain. Again, you can’t predict accidents, but it’s also hard to predict illnesses or hospital stays. So knowing what you need can be tricky. That’s why it’s of the utmost importance to know about your family’s history to judge its future.